Clamping mechanism



31, 1954 c. 5. WILSON 2,687,771

CLAMPING MECHANISM Filed Sept. 25, 1955 INVENTOR. CHARLES 5. WILSO N ATTORNEY.

Patented Aug. 31, 1954 CLAMPING MECHANISM Charles S. Wilson, Long Beach, N. Y.

Application September 25, 1953, Serial No. 382,371

9 Claims.

plated uses for the present clamping devices is the building of decorative grilleworks by assem-j bling and interlocking of individual ornate ele ments.

Hand-wrought grilles for protecting glass and screen doors and the like are finding widespread consumer acceptance. However, as a practical matter flexibility in design and size is somewhat curtailed unless the purchaser has the grillework tailored to a particular pattern and door. This is not feasible from the cost standpoint; as to manufacturing and distribution, the possibilities of mass production and stock inventories are virtually precluded.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a novel clamping mechanism particularly adapted for forming ornate grilleworks which obviates one or more of the aforesaid difficulties. Specifically, it is within the contemplation of the invention to provide a knockdown clamp device facilitating the building up of varied ornamental protective grilleworks for doors, windows, and the like.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a device which may be accommodated on doors of various sizes and at various locations for securing together a predetermined arrangement of hand-wrought grille-forming elements in accordance with the personal tastes of the potential consumer.

Certain objects of the present invention are realized by the provision of a knockdown clamp device forplurality decorative elements to be held together which comprises a pair of opposed socket members receiving the plural decorative elements, the socket forming elements being movable into clamping engagement with the elements by the provision of operatively-engaged clamp rings.

Still further objects, features, and advantages of the invention will be appreciated by reference to the following detailed description of a presently preferred adjustable cross-section knockdown clamp device embodying the features of the present invention when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is an elevational view showing an ad- 22c, and 24b, 240.

clamping position and forming part of a corner bracket for attachment to the door of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken substantially along lines 3-3 of Fig. 2 andlooking in the direction of the arrows, the clamp being shown in the locked position;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view similar to Fig. 3 but showing the clamp in the unlocked position, and

Fig. 5 is an elevational view of a modified grillework embodying a pair of adjustable cross-section clamps.

Referring specifically to the drawings, there is shown a clamping device It embodying features of the present invention and shown in conjunction with a door D having a screen or glass panel P to be ornately covered by a protective grillework of a desired configuration and ornamental appeal. Although the clamp device of the present invention is to be described in conjunction with the building up of protective grilles, it is to be expressly understood that numerous other applications are within the contemplation of the invention.

Specifically, the clamping device ll] includes a corner bracket l2 having legs M, It each formed at an angle and joined together at a common corner l8. Suitable means such as screws or the like may be provided for fixing the corner bracket l2 in any desired location on the door, such as adjacent the cross bar B and within the outline of the screen or glass panel opening. On the bracket I2 are a pair of socket-forming members 22, 24 the respective socket-forming members being fixed to the corner bracket at spaced apart locations designated respectively by the numerals 26a, 26b, and 28a, 281;. By the spaced mounting points the socket-forming members 22, 26 are yieldably supported for movement in relation to each other for a purpose to be subsequently described. The socket members 22, 24 include intermediate straight runs 22a, 24a terminating in opposite directed outwardly flared end runs 221),

The cooperative socket members 22, 24, which are adapted to receive a stack formation of elements, define a socket having a straight intermediate section coextensive with the straight runs 22a, 24a which open into enlarged entry ends coextensive with the respective curved runs 22b, 24b and 220, 24c.

Loosely encircling the intermediate runs 22a, 22b of the socket-forming members 22, 24 are a pair of locked rings 30, 32 which are movable relative to each other between the broken-line inoperative position and the full-line clamping position of Fig. 2. The cross-section of the respective lock rings 3t, 32 are related to the cross-section of the socket defined by the socket-forming or lateral-confining elements 22, 215 such that when the rings 30, 32 are displaced away from each other into the full line position of Fig. 2, a camming action is brought about which urges the resiliently-supported socket-forming members into clamping engagement relative to elements received within the socket. Movement into the clamping position relative to the stacked formation of elements is accomplished by a simple manual manipulation; in some instances a very permanent locking action may be achieved by driving the respective rings 36, 32 further away from each other.

As is apparent upon inspection of Fig. 1, any particular ornamental grillework may be built up by assembling individual grille elements, generally designated by the letter G. This is accomplished by insertion of the base ends g of the elements G in the socket, shims or the like being provided in the event that an insuflicient number of elements are to be-employed in conjunction with a socket of given size. After the particular array is set up with the clamping rings in the inoperative position, the rings are urged away from each other to permanently affix the elements G in position. In the event that the home owner tires of the particular array or is dissatisfied with the same, a new pattern may be setup simply and Without the necessity of removing installed bracket I2 carrying the socket-forming elements 22, 2d. The manifest advantages of this knockdown assembly are well appreciated by those skilled in the art and accordingly further description will be dispensed with in the interests of simplicity and clarity.

Referring now specifically to Fig. 5,. there is shown a clamping device it in accordance with the invention which is separated from the bracket l2 to facilitate building up of arrays on a given ornamental element G of a decorative grillework generally mounted by a clamping device lil of the type illustrated in Figs. 1 to 4, inclusive. The further bracket Ml includes the lateral-confining elements 42, M which define the socket and carry encircling lock rings-4E, 48 which are movable towards and away from each other to obtain the desired clamping action.

While in accordance with the provisions of the statutes, I have illustrated and described the best form of embodiment of my invention now known to me, it will beapparent to those skilled in the art that changes may be made in the form of the article disclosed without departing from the spirit of my invention as set forth in the appended claims and that in some cases certainfeature of my invention may be used to advantage without a corresponding use of other features.

What I claim is:

1. A knockdown clampdevice for plural stacked elements comprising opposed socket-forming members receiving therebetween said plural elements and confining same against lateral movement, said socket-forming members being movable relative to each other and into clamping engagement with said plural elements, and ring means engaging about said socket-forming members for moving same into clamping engagement with said plural elements.

2. A clamp device for plural elements to be held together comprising opposed laterally displaceable members defining a longitudinal socket receiving said plural elements, and spaced clamp rings operatively engaging about said members and movable relative to each other for laterally camming said clamp ring into clamping engagement with said plural elements.

3. A separable clamp device for a stacked formation of elements comprising a pair of opposed lateral-confining members defining a socket for said stacked formation, said lateral-confining elements being movable toward each other and into clamping relation with said stacked formation, and at least a pair of lock rings extending transversely of and encircling said lateral-confining elements, said lock rings contacting said lateralconfining elements and being arranged to cam same into clamping relation in response to spreading of said lock rings.

4. A separable clamp device for a stacked formation of elements comprising a pair of opposed lateral-confining members defining a socket for said stacked formation, said lateral-confining elements including straight intermediate runs merging into outwardly flared end runs and being movable relative to each other into clamping relation with said stacked formation, and at least a pair of lock rings conformable about said latoral-confining elements, said lock rings being movable along said lateral-confining elements and being engageable against said outwardly flared runs to earn said lateral-confining elements into clamping relation in response to spreading of said lock rings.

5. The combination with a. bracket adapted for attachment to a door of a separable clamp device on said bracket for a stacked formation of doorornamenting elements comprising a pair of opposed members defining a socket for said stacked formation, said lateral-confining elements being movable toward each other to clamp the elements of said stacked formation together, and at least a pair of lock rings encircling said lateral-confining elements and being arranged to cam same into a clamping position relative to said stacked formation.

6. A. clamp device comprising a bracket, a pair of opposed socket-forming members each fixed at spaced locations on said bracket to provide a yieldable support, said socket-forming members being adapted to receive a stacked formation of elements and including straight intermediate runs terminating in outwardly flared end runs and forming a socket having a straight intermediate section opening into enlarged entry ends, and a pair of lock rings loosely encircling said intermediate runs of said socket-forming members in an inoperative position and grippingly engaging said end runs when moved away from each other into operative position wherein said socket-forming members are cammed into clamping relation to said stacked formation.

7. A clamp device comprising a bracket, a pair of opposed socket-forming members, means fixing each of said socket-forming members at two spaced locations on said bracket and providing respective yieldable supports, said socket-forming members being adapted to receive a stacked formation of elements and including straight intermediate runs terminating in outwardly flared end runs, and a pair of lock rings loosely encircling said intermediate runs of said socketforming members and movable away from each other to grippingly engage said end runs and cam said socket-forming members into clamping relation to said stacked formation.

8. For use with a door, a corner bracket for said door, and a clamp device on said corner bracket for detachably holding plural doorornamenting elements in a predetermined pattern, said clamp device including a pair of opposed socket-forming members each yieldably supported on said bracket, said socket-forming members receiving a stacked formation of doorornamenting elements and including straight intermediate runs terminating in outwardly flared end runs, and a pair of lock rings loosely encircling said intermediate runs of said socket-forming members and movable away from each other into gripping engagement with said end runs to cam said socket-forming members into clamping relation to said stacked formation.

9. A clamping device for a door ornamentation having end portions arranged in stacked formation comprising a bracket adapted to be secured in a corner of a door having legs extending at right angles to each other, a pair of opposed socket-forming members arranged inwardly of said legs, each of said socket-forming members being fabricated of yieldable material and being mounted on an adjacent leg at two spaced apart locations, each of said socket-forming members having a straight intermediate run merging into outwardly flared end runs, said socket-forming members cooperating to define a socket of uniform section substantially coextensive with said intermediate runs for receiving said end portions, and a pair of lock rings loosely encircling said intermediate runs and movable away from each other into contact with said end runs for camming said intermediate runs into gripping engagement with said end portions of said door ornamentation.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date D. 107,894 Hutchinson Jan. 11, 1938 2,210,371 Hutchinson Aug. 6, 1940 2,657,746 Macklanburg Nov. 3, 1953 OTHER REFERENCES Catalog, Ornamental Design by Cofiman, March 1, 1949, R. G. Coffman Co., Inc. (Copy in Design Division.) 

